** Indicates rolling admission application process. Students will be immediately notified of acceptance into this program and be able to complete post-decision materials prior to the term's application deadline.

Program Information:

QUICK FACTS

Location

South Caicos, Tucks and Caicos Islands

Academic
Term

Autumn Semester

Spring Semester

Credits

16 credits

Eligibility

Sophomore standing or above by time of departure; min 2.75 GPA

Prerequisites

One semester of college-level ecology, biology, or environmental studies/science

PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONThe School for Field Studies (SFS) Turks & Caicos: Marine Resource Management Studies Semester program provides students with the opportunity to conduct field research that is helps to provide the local government, community, and tourism developers with recommendations that will help sustain the economic, social, and ecological stability of South Caicos.

OVERVIEWFor the tourists who flock here, the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), which lie at the southeastern end of the Bahamian archipelago, are a diving and angling paradise. The clear waters are considered among the world’s top 10 diving destinations, where vibrant coral reefs, a dramatic sea wall, and a deep ocean trench harbor a stunning diversity of sea life, from corals to whales. The charismatic fauna include more than 300 species of fish, many elasmobranchs such as the spotted eagle ray and lemon shark, as well as sea turtles and humpback whales. The colorful and cryptic biota is easily spotted in the warm waters just steps from our field station. Nearby seagrass beds, mangroves, sandy shoals, and reefs lend a patchwork appearance to the miles of shallow blue waters that surround the Islands. But beneath the turquoise waters, a delicate ecosystem is under assault.

The diverse marine environment supports the TCI economy through fisheries and tourism. The beauty and ecosystem functions of island, coastal, and ocean habitats are critical for maintaining the value of these industries. The country has an extensive network of more than 30 established protected areas to promote the sustainability of natural and historic resources, with four marine parks in close proximity to our field station on the island of South Caicos. However, lack of scientific understanding, insufficient environmental stewardship, and underutilized local ecological knowledge and human capital hinder management of marine resources and the effectiveness of these protected areas. Increasing demand for fisheries resources, unregulated coastal development, and the meteorological and biophysical impacts of climate change put enormous pressures on marine and coastal ecosystems and on island-based livelihoods. Without quantitative and qualitative scientific assessments, better facilitated community management, and collaborative environmental education, the existence of many of these ecosystems and resources is threatened.

SFS plays a critical role in supporting the TCI fishers, island residents, and environmental authorities through collaborative research and knowledge- exchange. Together we are working to implement positive change in the social, cultural, and economic spheres, as well as to support and mitigate impacts on the coastal and marine ecosystems.

STUDENT RESEARCHSnorkeling and SCUBA diving in the waters surrounding South Caicos, students learn field research and monitoring techniques to identify and assess the health of a wide range of marine organisms and habitats. Students learn to identify and observe the behavior of marine species, assess coastal and marine habitats, and quantify fisheries resources through hours of training, observation, and study in the water.

In the community, students grapple with the challenges of assessing the rights and needs of local stakeholders and reconciling those with conservation goals. Fisheries management and market engagement require considered analysis of the costs and benefits of species protection, fishing techniques, and market dynamics, all in the context of global and national markets and policies. Assessing the feasibility and ecological viability of resource management and habitat conservation options, and their associated social and economic implications, brings students face-to-face with the real-life dilemmas for governmental regulators and the residents of South Caicos.

TCI has an extensive network of 34 protected areas, but little is known about their function and effectiveness. With the Admiral Cockburn Land and Sea National Park and East Harbour Lobster and Conch Reserve on their doorstep, students evaluate the concept and practice of marine protected areas (MPAs) as a resource management tool.

Students help monitor the condition of the spectacular coral reefs, both inside and outside the MPAs, using scientifically rigorous monitoring techniques. Through field exercises and research, students:

Study essential marine habitats

Assess the status and level of local fishing efforts

Monitor the effects of tourism and habitat destruction

Study marine species interactions; and investigate the feasibility of recycling programs along with other issues related to marine natural resource management and local livelihood

Population size assessment of potential commercial finfish species around South Caicos

Ecological and social assessments of the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification

Rapid assessment of density and distribution of invasive lionfish

Coral reef ecology, including growth, survival, and recruitment

Baseline biodiversity surveys in critical habitats

Interactions between mangrove and seagrass faunal communities

Assessments of local livelihood strategies and human capital, including perceptions of tourism and fishing industries and bottom-up ideas for managing the island’s natural environment

Assessment of conch population structure and regulation compliance

Youth empowerment through marine-oriented citizen science

Elasmobranch ecology

COMMUNITY FOCUSWe are dedicated to helping the community conserve its natural resources and develop sustainably. Students become involved with the community, learning about the Caribbean culture and island society. Community activities may include:

Providing swimming lessons and environmental education for local children

Collaborating with local youths and NGOs to conduct beach clean-ups to raise environmental awareness

Reading, tutoring, and volunteer projects at the local library at the local library and grade school

Teaching English to Haitians and Dominicans

HOUSINGThe SFS Center for Marine Resource Studies, located just steps from a crystal clear ocean laboratory, is adjacent to Cockburn Harbour, a town of about 1,100 residents. Our field station sits on elevated land about 40 feet above the water and looks directly out over the sea. Within a three-mile radius are coral reefs, mangrove islands, sea grass beds, carbonate platform flats, and deep-water diving. The main facility has a dining area, kitchen, classroom, computer room, and a veranda with spectacular ocean views. Students share living quarters in two residence wings. We are fully equipped for marine operations with access to docks, motor boats, a compressor, and plenty of tanks and weights for SCUBA diving.

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